Conspiracy theories are frequently identified as a staple ingredient of contemporary politics, especially the rhetoric of populist, anti-establishment movements.

The familiar narrative structure and explanatory logic of present-day conspiracy theories suggest that we are not dealing with a new phenomenon, but with an established ideological tradition of explanation and rhetorical style. At the same time, there is no denying that conspiracy theories, and conspiracy theorists, operate today in a very different political and media landscape than preivously. The lecture examines how conspiracy theories have adapted to, and benefitted from, this new environment.

Jovan Byford is Senior Lecturer in Psychology at The Open University, UK.
He is the author of five books, including Denial and Repression of Antisemitism (2008), Conspiracy Theories: A Critical Introduction (2011) and Conspiracy Theory: Serbia vs The New World Order (2006). The lecture is made possible with a contribution from the Forum for Democracy, Peace and Justice.